Last week, I was so happy to be introduced to that brilliant roasted red pepper “pesto” concoction. And this week, I’m positively thrilled that this totally unexpected combination made its way into my kitchen.

The original recipe can be found on Marcia’s blog, Twenty by Sixty. Marcia – thank you! You rock for picking this recipe. It’s easy to pick something that feels safe, but that’s not what went down here. In fact, I’m curious to see how many people in the group had big enough cojones {excuse my Spanish} to try it.

I replaced the figs with dates since figgy season is over, and I absolutely loved the result. There is something a little freaky about fruit baked into your pasta, if you ask me…so I think the dates were a great choice, since they’re dried and thus less watery than, say, pears – which was what I was toying with trying. I will say, however, that this recipe has opened up my mind to trying the pears or even apples in the future.

The dates added a delicate sweetness that just came around every now and then – the perfect amount (I used 18 dates; a little over half a pound). And then, there’s the cheese. It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with cheese, any and every type; the smellier, the better. Dates are a classic pairing with blue cheese, and I used gorgonzola dolce – also known as the sweeter, milder, and creamier cousin to classic gorgonzola. If intense blue cheese turns you off, maybe this would be a good starting point for you.

There are a lot of brussels sprouts in this recipe, and I doubled the whole thing so that meant 3 pounds of sprouts and 1 pound of pasta. This ratio is exactly what Bittman does so well in this book: He makes pasta a healthy option by serving it up with a ton of veggies. Done and done. The brussels sprouts are simply added to the pot of pasta in the last few minutes of cooking, then you drain and toss it all back into the pot, mix in the chopped dates, crumbled blue cheese (if you use the gorgonzola dolce, it doesn’t really “crumble” because it’s so creamy – just break it into pieces and it will blend right in) a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water and EVOO, and toss it all into a baking dish.

This is Bittman’s idea of a creamy white pasta sauce with no cream. The cheese mixed with the cooking water in way that binds everything together and sort of makes its own sauce. I say add just a bit more cheese for an even creamier result.

The grand finale on this dish is some sort of crunchy topping for texture. Bittman offers chopped almonds, which I think is a great option for vegetarians, though you could really use any nut you like – I think pistachios would be an excellent choice. I added chopped, crispy prosciutto because I love this pairing with the dates and the cheese – it provides not only texture but an added hit of saltiness. I like the way that this all adds up to a rather Italian dish – you could use pancetta to keep it that way, or bacon if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

This is a dish that I will absolutely make again, and I’ll definitely be experimenting with the ingredients. Bittman offers more suggestions for the fruit and the cheese, which you can find here in the original recipe. If you want to try it my way, I broke down the ingredients I used (remember, I doubled the recipe) so you can go that route using the instructions on Marcia’s blog. And if that’s not inspiration enough, you can check out how the rest of the group fared here - I’m sure there will be tons of brilliance happening, because that’s how we roll!

My ingredients:

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta (you can sub for penne, but I loved the shape of rigatoni here)
• 3 pounds brussels sprouts
• About 18 dates
• 3/4 pound gorgonzola dolce
• Kosher salt to taste (start with 1 teaspoon and go from there)
• Tons of freshly cracked black pepper
• Crispy chopped prosciutto (as little as an 1/8 pound or up to 1/4 pound)

This calls for a celebration.

You bring over the bottle of champagne – make that two three, we’ll need one for baking and one two for drinking – and I’ll whip us up a batch of these bad boys.

The Academy Awards are on this Sunday – does that work for you? Perfect.

You guys know I live for the Academy Awards, right? (Okay, fine…so I don’t live for the actual awards show. I much prefer the red carpet. And what I mean by that is watching Fashion Police the next day. Is it just me, or is Joan Rivers getting lewder – read: funnier – as she, um, ages?)

Nevermind the fact that I normally haven’t seen 90% of the nominated films. This year, I’m really shutting it down – I haven’t seen even one of the movies up for best picture. Although – I do plan on changing that this weekend. Friday night, Daniel and I have a date with either The Artist at this funky little old-school theater, or The Help via On Demand. Which one will it be? Well, let’s see: One requires me to leave my house, which probably means I’d have to put on some sort of clothing that doesn’t resemble pajamas. And then I’d have to brush my hair…make-up? No way. Not happening. I’ll take my comfy couch, spa robe, and vino, please.

I guess that settles that.

This is the first year that I won’t be having people over for a festive evening of champagne and popcorn (among other things), but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving you high and dry. I had a vision in my crazy-brain of something glamorous just for you – and what’s more glam than strawberries and champagne?

I’m not gonna act like this recipe doesn’t take some work – but here’s the thing: For a special occasion like New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, um…the Academy Awards – hi, a bridal shower (I brought them wedding dress-shopping for one of my BFFs…MAJOR success), etc. – these cupcakes cannot be beat.

It turns out, as it always does, that I’m not the first person who thought of combining bubbly and cupcakes. Yes, you’ll find many lovely versions in existence if you look – like champagne cupcakes filled with champagne pastry cream, or topped with ganache and chocolate-covered strawberries, or how about strawberry cupcakes topped with champagne frosting? Yes, please.

But, for some reason, none of that was fitting the bill. I was envisioning more champagne flavor, and fresh strawberries – something that truly showcased why these two things are forever lumped together. It was Richard Gere who first told us so, wasn’t it?

I’m pleased to say that this creation was a complete success. There’s a lot of champagne going on in here, between the cake, the filling, and the frosting – it’s truly a BURST of champagne flavor. The fresh strawberry purée used in the filling complements the light and airy champagne cake perfectly. The super-rich buttercream is a nice contrast to all of that, and the candied strawberries on top? Well, this way you have a better idea of what you’re getting into – otherwise you might have expected plain ol’ vanilla.

{Thank you, Ina – I learned that one from you}

I gave myself a pat on the back for coming up with the idea for the filling, because you’re using the leftover simple syrup from the candied strawberries to make it. That’s something I’ve been aiming to do more and more in recipe development: Make it make sense.

The last thing I’ll point out about creating this recipe is that I ever-so-carefully constructed it in such a way that you would have exactly one glass of champagne left when it’s all said and done.

You’rewelcomeverymuch.

And I don’t know about you, but for me that means we’ll also have the following day off.

On second thought, I’m thinking we should make it National Margarita Week altogether. There are just too many delicious variations on this all-time favorite cocktail of tequila and citrus, and we need time to celebrate them all.

For now, we can start with this insanely perfect Meyer lemon version. I truly now believe that Meyer lemons were put on this Earth for the purpose of dirty dancing with tequila and orange liqueur. This cocktail would be entirely perfect on its own stopping right there, as the Meyer lemons already strike that perfect balance needed for margarita-making; if you’re unfamiliar with Meyer lemons, they are thought to be a cross between lemon and a mandarin or orange – and so that is what makes them perfect for a margarita…they provide that extra sweetness needed for balancing the tangy-ness of the lemon.

And so, yes – you could totally stop right there and be happy as a drunken clam. Or, you could add some rosemary to the mix and really get down with this party. This now makes for a dirty dancing-threesome that you won’t regret.

How many threesomes can you say that about?

The Food Matters Cookbook is overflowing with recipes that I want to make. I’m elated when I receive email from fellow members that say, “Thank you SO much for starting this project. I can’t even begin to select a recipe because I want to make all of them!” That’s exactly how I felt, and I’m so happy we’re all in this together.

Not only for the biggest purpose to spread the word about the philosophy behind these recipes and this way of eating, but because flavor-bombs like this roasted red pepper pesto might have otherwise gone overlooked.

And not because it doesn’t look to be a delicious idea upon first glance – because it does. Moreso because of the overwhelming number of appealing recipes in this book. All of us, as both food bloggers and people who simply enjoy good food – yes, of course we have things in common, but we are also inherently different. Naturally, we’re going to be drawn to different recipes. That’s where the brilliance lies.

This was the first time I roasted peppers myself, and I was blown away by the difference between homemade and store-bought. There’s still a place in my heart – and in last-minute entertaining – for the jarred variety, but if you’ve got the extra time, there’s just no reason not to do it yourself. The difference in flavor is remarkable. And it’s super-easy to do.

That was where I started with this, only I roasted only 4 of the peppers, and yes – bring in the white beans yet again! I have a severe obsession with my cannellini beans and it’s clearly not going anywhere anytime soon. One can of those, a little handful of freshly-grated Parmesan (about 1/4 cup or so), a squeeze of lemon, a few extra cloves of garlic as always, another handful of chopped fresh basil, and my penchant for toasting the walnuts instead of using them raw added up to one addicting and interesting twist on “pesto.”

The route I went made a lot, about 1 quart total, and thank goodness it did, because I could not get enough of this stuff. I think I’m partial to eating it as a dip or spread with toasted whole wheat baguette slices or pita chips, but we also enjoyed the leftovers tossed with pasta. You could eat it with fish or chicken or really, anything. I might actually like it best on its own, right out of the bowl with a spoon. Yeah, I did that. A lot.

For the complete recipe, head over to Heather’s blog, girlichef – and feel free to either use my additions listed above or be totally inspired by another member’s take on this recipe here!

{celebrating my 27th birthday last weekend with two of my bestest}

I started this blog. Two years ago…today.

And then a bunch of other stuff started happening. Really, really good stuff.

I started to figure out what it is that I’m truly passionate about. And everyday since, that passion has grown into something that blows my mind. I’m more sure about a lot of things. Who I am. What I want out of life. Important things. I even got a job out of it. A job involving me getting paid to play in recipe-land all day. NBD.

I can’t begin to express my gratitude for all of this. Most of all, I want to thank you for reading. If it weren’t for you, this would be a rather lonely party, wouldn’t it?

Last year, I thanked you on my blog’s first birthday over a cocktail. Appropriate, yes – but let’s face it: I cocktail more often than not. Ordinary wasn’t going to cut it. And I certainly wouldn’t think of putting you through the torture of another one of these self-indulgent situations anytime soon. I thought about sharing my absolute favorite recipes, as that’s a question I get a lot (this is usually my answer) but there were too, too many. What can I say? I like the food I cook.

Instead, I want to know more about you. And I would love to know more about what you want to see on this blog.

Long-time readers know that I used to post about a lot of things – things other than food. (And yes, other than cocktails, too.) I used to post about fashion…and workouts…and silly things like my latest CVS obsessions. There were tiny bits of travel; there were curling iron tutorials. I thought about doing restaurant reviews, because I did a few while freelancing for a local publication – and I liked it.

I wish I had the time to write about all of these things, but the fact of it is, I like to cook. So much so that I constantly have a small army of recipes backed up in the depths of my draft folder, many of which I am fighting the seasons to get the dang things to you before it’s too late. You don’t want to hear about roasted butternut squash in the heat of summer, and I don’t want to talk about it then. Because at that point, I’ll be onto the next – i.e. the 239 tomato recipes bookmarked in my precious Google Doc spreadsheet categorized as “summer”, all ready-and-waiting to be tried and fiddled with and posted, if they’re worthy.

Just kidding. Kind of.

{And then there’s that other little (big!) project I created in an effort to make an impact larger than anything I could possibly do on my own, which is taking up another piece of my time-management puzzle}

So please, tell me: Is there something you miss that you’d love for me to bring back? I do just love to talk about a good bronzer once in a while. Or, maybe there’s something I’ve never done that you’d love to see me try. I’m game.

Can we talk about these silly little videos I’ve been doing lately? If you haven’t figured out that it’s all a desperate attempt to be discovered by the Food Network  so that they can give me my own well-deserved show… Again, I kid. Sort of. I say sort of because, um…f-yeah I’d love to have my own show (Cooking Channel, hi – you look pretty today) one day – but really, I just want to hang out. With you. Maybe inspire you, if only to try a new recipe. At the end of the say, I want to show you that cooking is fun.

{“If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.” ~Sassy in the Kitchen}

All of my friends constantly tell me that they love reading my blog because they hear my personality through my writing – they feel like they’re hanging out with me, laughing at my dumb jokes, you know, having a good time. My goal is to bring that same energy to my videos, and though I’m certainly not there yet, I know I’ll get there with time.

Are you digging them? Is there something you want to see me try? It is my birthday, after all. Humor me.

Also, if you want to send me something like this…that would be cool, too.

It’s an email I received the other day, from a very dear reader named Chelsea:

“It is always wonderful to find someone out there that is truly appreciative of life’s gifts. Too many people are caught up in the negative side. I was having a rough day and stumbled across your blog … I just wanted to let you know that you have the kind of energy more people in this world should have. You made me day brighter as I’m sure you do for others.”

Melt-city.

Thank you, Chelsea. Thank you, EVERYONE.

Thank you for allowing me, helping me, and supporting me – in creating myself.

Much love.

xxSAS

Why? Well, because stovetop popcorn is infinitely better than the bagged microwave variety, ridiculously easy to make, and there are unlimited ways to fancy-pants it up with other flavors and additions.

Yes, it’s also healthier – and the best part? It’s actually fun to make.

There’s something about popping popcorn in a big pot over the stove and shaking it around that feels old-school and, well, right. I do realize we’ve talked about this before (oh, hello truffled popcorn) but just in case I didn’t convince you the first time around, now you have a whole crew of people waxing poetic on the subject.

People need to know this stuff. If this little old blog can convince just one more person to try something new within the world of popcorn-making, then I’ve done my job.

I did learn something new this time around, as Mark Bittman offered up a slightly different technique in that he adds three kernels to the oil in the beginning and once they start to pop, then he adds the rest. I’ve never had a problem just dumping ‘em all in at once, but when Mark says “jump”…

You get the idea.

So, how exactly did I go about my fancy-pants version? I melted a nice pat of butter with a bit of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons each, give or take) and then added about 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and let it cook until soft and golden. Mark says that you can strain the garlic out when pouring the butter/oil over the popcorn – but what would be the fun in that? I say, if you don’t want the little pieces of garlic in your popcorn but still want the flavor, then go this route instead: Infuse butter/oil mixture with a few smashed garlic cloves over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the garlic is golden; then, strain it out.

You may also want to decrease increase the amount of oil and or/butter you’re using depending on how healthy or unhealthy you’re feeling that day. Also feel free to play with the proportions…I was always partial to butter, mostly because I usually make truffled popcorn, but this time I was really digging the olive oil vibe. In fact, I recommend drizzling the popcorn with a little extra every now and again.

The last order of business with this garlicky-Parmesan version I made is, you guessed it, the Parmesan. Sprinkle it on  - I used about 1/4 cup or so – after adding the butter and/or oil and give it a toss. And then, plenty of salt to taste, of course, and a nice dash of crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

For the official recipe in all its glory, head over to Cookie + Kate. And do check out how the rest of the FMP members fared here!

And if you want to get super-fancy-pants-popcorn-crazy, you can try this insanely addicting Bacon + Cashew Caramel Corn. You won’t regret it.

And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, what better time to knock this one off of your bucket list?

{To all of my meat-loving lady readers: You might just decide to make this one for yourself – and there ain’t no shame in that}

I’ve heard of engagement chicken, sure. And there are few things I love more than a good roasted chicken. But – if I were a betting woman, and the future of your relationship status depended on one meal and one meal only, I’m putting my money on steak.

Lesson of the day: Cooking up steaks better than they do at Ruth’s Chris is the real way to a man’s heart. Fact.

And guess what? No grill required! You might be surprised to know that many steakhouses don’t use use a grill to cook filet mignon. I don’t even remember where or when I first learned how to do it, but I’ve been cooking them this way for years now. I know it was before I saw Ina’s recipe because I remember feeling so proud when I saw that she made them the same way! You know, me and Ina, on the same page – NBD.

The method is super-simple – so simple that you’re going to be dumbfounded when you sink your teeth into one of these delicious steaks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pwXOQd8Of4

Here’s the secret: Sear on the stove, and finish in the oven.

That’s it. Seriously. This is so simple, you don’t even need a recipe. Get a little oil going over high heat in a cast-iron or stainless steel oven-proof skillet, sear the meat on each side for a minute or two until it develops a beautiful browned crust, and then just add a pat of butter to each steak before throwing ‘em in the oven for 6 minutes or so. Let them rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes and you’ll get the most perfectly cooked medium-rare filets every time.

It’s so easy, it almost hurts! Hurts in that you’ll want to make them all the time but you probably shouldn’t because, well, you’ve heard that stuff about eating red meat too often, and how it’s not exactly good for you. That, and when you’re buying high-quality meat – which is a must, BTW – it’s not exactly cheap. At Whole Foods, the cost for two of these babies will run you in the neighborhood of $30.

The bottom line: For a once-in-a-while treat, nothing beats a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth filet.

{And for a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert, check out this video for Espresso Crème Brûlée}

Each week, a group of food bloggers and home cooks are coming together to cook our way through The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living by Mark Bittman.

I’m not gonna lie. This cookbook is overwhelming. Overwhelming in a way that I want to make at least 90% of the 500+recipes in this beast of a book. Overwhelming even moreso in a way that when I first read about what the “Food Matters” philosophy represents and stands for, I was so inspired that I decided to start this project.

In a nutshell, it’s about eating more plants and natural foods. In turn, we’re talking less meat and processed foods. And it’s about how all of that’s good for our health – duh – and the environment, too.

I selected this recipe to kick-off the launch of our project. It was so, so hard to pick just one. I’ve already cooked at least 5 or 6 recipes from the book, because they’re all just so simple and easy for everyday cooking. (If Mark Bittman’s new to you and if you’re a new-ish cook, I highly recommend you check out another book of his as well: How to Cook Everything.) There’s something about the way he explains things that’s so easy to understand, and his recipes are totally no-nonsense. He gives options and ideas for how to adapt almost any given recipe, so you can truly feel confident in what you’re doing if you’re new to experimenting with different flavors or ingredients. He makes cooking fun – and easy.

You know where I stand on this: If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong. And yes, this applies even to healthy, easy-enough-for-a-weeknight cooking.

I was drawn to this recipe because the idea of the smoky chipotle with the creamy, sweet roasted butternut squash seemed to be a match made in heaven, and one I just had to try. It was everything I’d hoped for, and the real beauty of it all lies in its simplicity. Few ingredients, simple preparation, food that looks as beautiful as it tastes…that’s what the recipes in this book are all about. Mark offers the lime wedges at the end as optional, but I disagree – squeezed over the dish before serving, they add a necessary element of brightness.

You could do this one as an appetizer or a side. I like the idea of serving it as an appetizer because, well, I don’t normally serve vegetarian let alone close to vegan-friendly (just sub maple syrup for the honey) appetizers. It’s a way to switch things up! I equally like the idea of this as a side, and if you can’t bear the thought of going totally meatless, I think it would be great with a little skirt steak/chimichurri action. I’d eat it with a sliced avocado, drizzled in olive oil and a sprinkling of salt, and call it a meal – no problem. And as a matter of fact, as I’m typing this, I’m thinking about puréeing the whole thing into a soup.

That’s the power of the recipes in this book. Every idea has the potential to multiply.

Check out the rest of the group’s take on this dish here, and join us next week for Seasoned Popcorn!

Or at least, dying to know exactly what we (as in, Daniel and I – we’re obvs a team here) mean by the term. Unfortunately, there’s no real way to explain it. You’ll have to taste them to truly understand.

I’d like to say it’s just the frosting that makes these brownies so good. Then, all you’d need to do to experience this food-gasm is whip up a stick of butter, a little coffee, cocoa powder, and some confectioners’ sugar (…okay, and a little salt and vanilla) in your mixer and melt away. I’m quite sure, however, that it’s the combination of this super-simple yet totally mind-blowingly dreamy frosting with the insanely rich and fudge-y brownies that evokes such a feeling.

There are a lot of things brownies should be, and for me, cake-like isn’t one of them. Brownies should be rich, decadent, moist, and fudge-y. Do people who prefer cake-like brownies exist? Just a question.

Brownies should also have that thin, crackly top (like these Baked brownies, also TDF). These brownies have that top, too – you just can’t see it because it’s covered in frosting. The frosting…I just don’t know what’s so addicting about it. I can’t wrap my brain around why it gets so fluffy or why I am quite capable of eating an entire bowl of it. My only complaint about these brownies would be that they’re a bit on the thin side; I was actually going to do 1.5 times the recipe to make them thicker, but then I got the idea to add frosting, and I thought doing both might be overkill. If that’s possible.

We already know that Daniel calls everything I make “the best _______ he’s ever had.” So I won’t even go there. Instead, I’ll tell you that when I brought these into work, I heard the same thing from multiple people.

People will wig over these brownies. Fact.

{This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!}